Good Sheep of the Good Shepherd
1 Peter 2:21-25
April 19, 2026 anno Domini
On Good Shepherd Sunday when you are called sheep it is not a compliment. Even without a degree in sheepology, God’s Word is sufficient to tell us that sheep are prone to getting lost, swept away by swift water, surrounded by fierce enemies, and therefore they need shepherds.
Since God’s Word calls you a sheep in need of a Shepherd, it means you’re not going to make it on your own. If you follow your own belly you’ll end up in trouble, trapped in a thicket of thorns, devoured by that prowling lion the Devil. I probably don’t need to tell you that – you’ve all done it.
So normally, being called a sheep is a rebuke, a slam. But today, based on Peter’s admonition in the Epistle I want to encourage you to act like sheep in a positive way – to hear the voice of Your Shepherd, to live in His flock, and to follow in His steps.
Hear the voice of your shepherd. Did you hear what He says to you through the prophet Ezekiel?
I will search for my sheep and seek (you) out. You’ve been lost, and you know it. You’ve wandered from this to that hoping to find life and happiness and fulfillment. And everywhere you’ve wandered in this sinful and fallen world disappoints you. You need Jesus and He has come to seek you – it’s why the Son of God was born of the Virgin. It’s why He went to the cross. It’s why He sent the Spirit to bring you to life in baptism, to breath forgiveness into you in preaching, to feed you with the good and true food of His body and blood.
The Lord your Shepherd says, “I will feed you with good pasture.” What have you been eating? Drinking? Consuming? Did it satisfy you? Are you content? Or are you always hungering for the next thing? When the Lord promises you good pasture He doesn’t mean you’re going to enjoy it. He means it will give you life. It will serve His purpose. It will be good for you.
You know this about food. There might be something you really enjoy eating – Cool Ranch Doritos, a Mint Oreo blizzard at Dairy Queen. If you want to ruin those tasty treats read the nutrition information. If you can’t pronounce what is in the product or you don’t know what it is – it probably isn’t good for you, even though it tastes good.
So the Lord invites you to His table – and what He feeds you is Himself. You are a sinner so He serves you forgiveness. You are dying so He feeds you His risen body and blood. You live in a hopeless world, so He sets before you a certain resurrection. That may not be what you think you’re hungering for – but trust your Shepherd. He knows good pasture. He knows what you need.
The Lord says, “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” Jesus says in John 10, “So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Now this may be a little difficult to understand so if you’ve been daydreaming pay attention. Your shepherd wants you in His flock. Jesus doesn’t just save you from something He also saves you for something. He doesn’t just rescue you from being lost, He wants you to be found in Him. He doesn’t just deliver you from wandering, He delivers you to follow Him. He doesn’t just save you from your isolation, your being all alone with your sin, sorrow, and suffering, He saves you for fellowship with Him, in His flock.
Let me illustrate. Suppose you are that sheep who has wandered. You followed your eyes and your belly into some sin. Your sin left you all alone, maybe it cost you your marriage, maybe it ruined your body. Then the Devil pounced with all the guilt and shame he could lay on you. You’re worthless. No one could love you. You’re soiled goods. No one wants you. But then you hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling, “I will seek the lost” and you say, “I’m lost.” I will bring back the strayed – and you confess “I’ve strayed.” I will bind up the injured – that’s me. The Shepherd calls and you hear. He seeks and you’re found. You’re injured and Jesus heals. You’ve sinned and He forgives. You’re dead and He lays down His life for you. Now, here’s the question, “Does that mean you can go back to wandering, following your belly, after all the Good Shepherd has done for you?” Seems like a good relationship – He’s good at seeking and you’re good at getting lost. He likes to forgive and you’re an expert at sinning.
Heavens no. You were a dead sheep. Now you are alive. You were all alone. Now you’re in the flock. You did not have a Shepherd, now Jesus is the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul. You hear His voice, belong to His flock, and you follow in His steps.
Sheep follow their Shepherd. Jesus committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. Follow Him. Scripture clearly teaches that we can fight against sin in our lives once we have come to faith. Contrary to popular opinion Lutherans do believe in good works. Our works play no part in saving us, but good works are necessary. They are a sign that you have faith. They are an indication you’re in the flock, you’ve heard the voice of your Shepherd, and you’re following in His steps.
Walk in His steps. Don’t lie. Tell the truth as you’ve learned from your Shepherd’s voice. There is one way to eternal life – His name is Jesus. There is one place where you receive His forgiveness – it’s called church – where His Word is preached in truth and His sacraments are given. He expects us to honor authority, to defend life from conception to natural death. God is pro-life. His Word makes clear that there are only two genders – male and female and that marriage is one man and one woman for one lifetime. He gives us everything we have and gives different gifts to different people, so be content, don’t covet, don’t steal, don’t cheat, don’t be a miser.
And do you know what will happen when you tell the truth? You will follow in Jesus’ steps. You will suffer. Your children might stop talking to you. You could lose your job. Two devout Lutherans in Finland, a bishop and a politicians were recently found guilty of hate crimes for a pamphlet they wrote 20 years ago stating that homosexuality is a sin and contrary to God’s Word. The Canadian parliament is considering Bill C-9 which would remove the “good faith” religious defense – meaning if you were quoting Scripture because you believe it to be true, that was not hateful, but now it would be a hate crime.
Walk in your Shepherd’s steps. No deceit in His mouth. None in yours. Tell the truth and you will suffer as He did. And remember this. He did not speak the truth or suffer for His own sake, but for you. He bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. When you speak the truth and suffer – you are not doing it for yourself. It won’t win you anything with God – Jesus has already won your salvation. You’re in the flock. You’re with the Shepherd. You speak that others might hear. You suffer that others might believe. By His wounds you have been healed, and you never know, by your wounds, by willingness to tell the truth, by your endurance in suffering for Jesus, another person’s ears might be opened to hear the voice of their Shepherd and be found and saved.
Jesus is your Good Shepherd, so be good sheep. Hear His voice, belong to His flock, and follow in His steps. In the name of Jesus. Amen.